Anyone sends their lo to private/prep school?

[LPF]

We've been given the wonderful opportunity of a full scale move to the coast to be near all our family as dh has a new job as a senior teacher in a private school.

He's been a state school secondary teacher for over 10 yrs and has become increasingly frustrated with how education has changed and as a private school boy himself was keen for ds to have the chance....now he does as school fees are dramatically reduced for teachers children.

So we faced with the opportunity of sending ds to reception at a prep school next year (if we like it and ds is happy there) but I'm clueless to the whole private prep school stuff - and a bit scared as it's far removed from my own schooling!

Any others? Advice? Pros and cons?

Thank you!!

 

[kitabird]

I wouldn't personally send my kids to a private school unless the local schools were very bad/rough. I was sent to a private school (for high school) on a free place and never felt like I fitted in. I was bullied at school, because I couldn't afford the same designer stuff as everyone else, and in my neighbourhood, because no one else in my area went to the school.
I also found that the teachers were very focused on getting the best grades. Unfortunately this meant that anything below an 'A' was seen as a failure.
Private schools like to keep an image of being more disciplined and having 'better' pupils, but in reality there was just as much drugs and underage sex going on as anywhere else.
Maybe my experience isn't typical, it's just my opinion. Your DH obviously enjoyed it. I think a lot will depend on your child's personality. If he goes right from age 4 I'm sure he will make friends easily and fit in no problem. You might find the other parents a bit snooty though!!

 

[seoj]

I'd check out the school- maybe talk to other parents etc... just like I would with any school. I think public schools can be great- but funding is rough these days, and cuts are the norm. So IDK what we *may* do once LO starts... our oldest is a senior this year and done great in the public school system. But LO being much younger- things can certainly change.

Do you have ratings? Ther is a site in my state where you can see the school rating, parent reviews etc... but I saw some not so nice reviews on my SD's middle school, yet she did great there! So it's all subjective.

Just trust your gut hun

 

[mummy2o]

I know this won't effect you as they will probably be up together by the time GCSE's get sorted out, but most private schools do iGCSE's instead of normal GCSE's. In the coming years iGCSE's won't count for the same as a normal GCSE.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-28108153
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jul/01/schools-igcse-league-tables

This will probably be fixed by then though, so it shouldn't cause any issues. I'm hoping so as we'll be doing iGCSE's as we're going the home educating route.

There are many advantages with private schools though. The more variety of choice, the smaller class size's, children are less likely to slip through the net for a small example.

Disadvantages the cost obviously for one as you have to pay for most things unlike state schools, snobby attitude of others and possible bullying(that can happen in any school though), they teach you rather than you learning to study which is why state schools are doing better at uni right now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26773830

Do your own research and do what is best for your child. You know your child better than anyone else.

 

[the why bird]

I went to a private school, and we're considering a totally different type of private school for our daughter (no decisions yet).

Mine was very academic. Exams to get in, regular exams throughout, a lot of emphasis on grades. Very strict on uniform (which was also expensive) and a lot of push towards playing (orchestral) musical instruments and playing traditional sports. It was very disciplined - being caught with cigarettes was expulsion. In high school, obviously, though discipline was very strict at all ages.

I did well in that environment. I was the kind of kid who thrived on structure and there was no classroom disruption. I was always one of the poorest kids because I was on bursary but it didn't hold me back, quite a few of the families were just ordinary folks who really saved to send their kids (though there were a few really posh families too). I did get good grades, but I was naturally academic so I might've done just as well at state school. The rigid rules and old traditions were grating in high school when you want to be independent and individual, and the only subjects offered were quite traditional ones (maths, english, science, languages etc) as opposed to some of the more vocational and unusual ones other state high schools offered. It did not suit everyone, it could definitely be stuffy and only really catered to book-smarts.

One thing in it's credit though is that there was next to zero bullying. Of course not everyone got on, but any sort of bullying behaviour was absolutely not tolerated, it was very safe.

The one we're considering for my daughter is totally different.

Their exam results are no better than the local state schools. It's still very expensive, down to the uniforms. They put a huge focus on kids being well-rounded and finding their strengths. They go hiking and camping (even in primary school) they work on the school farm, and they do a lot of life-skills and physical lessons. It's much smaller and a family sort of environment. I think a lot of the kids who didn't do well in my school might have done great here, because it values social skills and independence as much as (if not more than) exam results. My daughter is so adventurous, I think she would thrive in that environment. I was a shy and nervous child and probably would have hated it.

So it depends a huge amount on whether the school's ethos matches your child's needs.

General points about private schools in general - they often have longer holidays. Good for cheap off-peak holidays, bad for childcare costs. Uniforms, school trips, school buses etc can add a lot of expense. The students tend to come from a wider area, so your child's best friend might end up living a long way away, which gets to be a pain for parties and sleepovers.